Kinnear says that MLS teams generally avoid talking about
the altitude factor when facing the Rapids and Real Salt Lake on the road to
prevent it from becoming a crutch. It’s an approach that cuts across other
American professional sports, where elevation is only brought up with
respect to the flight of balls in baseball and football.

Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers adopts the Kinnear approach. Columbus
flew out late Wednesday, arriving less than 24 hours before game time, to
minimize the effects.

“Of course it’s a factor, but as professionals we try not to
think about it and we talk about going to Denver like going to LA or NY,”
Rogers said. “But over the course of 90 minutes, as the game progresses, it starts
to wear you down a little bit. Especially if you’re used to [maintaining possession], you start losing simple passes and you make mistakes
that you wouldn’t make in other places.”

It’s the same factor that, at least in part, has led to the US national
team never winning at the 7,200-foot high Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
The mistakes Rogers speaks about led to Argentina’s biggest debacle in 60 years
when they lost 6-1 to Bolivia in a 2009 World Cup qualifier in La Paz, which sits at
11,800 feet above sea level, more than double the altitude in Colorado.

FIFA even intervened at one point, prohibiting World Cup
qualifiers from being held above 8,200 feet, but after much controversy, the
world governing body later rescinded the ban following protests from the South
American confederation.

Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium sits at 4,500 feet, or
700 feet lower than the Rapids’ Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, but it still
makes an impact. Some consider that RSL’s home undefeated streak of 29 games in all
competitions has something to do with elevation.

“It doesn’t matter how fit you are,” Real Salt Lake
veteran Andy Williams said. “When you get up [to Salt Lake City] and Colorado, it’s
a different energy level and you have to have that extra tank of air for the
last 15 to 20 minutes.”

It’s why RSL and their manager Jason Kreis were particularly
surprised that FC Dallas came out guns blazing on Oct. 16. Although the Texas
side owned the first 15 minutes of the match, RSL eventually took control and
scored twice in the second half to win it.

Of the teams with less than 100 home games played in their history, Real Salt Lake have
the highest point total. Among teams
with 200 or more home games, the Rapids have the third best point total of all
teams.

Fox Soccer Channel broadcaster and former RSL defender Brian Dunseth and current RSL captain
Nat Borchers say they believe that the high-tempo energy that the defending champions bring to their
home matches is the greatest factor in their home field success.

But Colorado Rapids Hall of Famer Marcelo Balboa
thinks it plays right into the altitude.

“You walk around and the signs say, ‘Welcome to 5,280 feet,’”
Balboa said of the Denver area. “No matter what anyone says, the first 10 minutes are the hardest
10 minutes. You’re tyring to catch your breath, and then in the 70th to 75th
minute, teams feel it a lot here. You’re feeling jittery and can't find your
breath.

“Does it affect all teams? Yeah. But teams have gotten a lot
smarter," Balboa said. "Tactically they sit back and try to drop the tempo down to a rhythm so
they don’t lose all their energy in first 20-30 minutes. They attack in spurts
and fall back. But eventually the altitude will get you.”